I Hate Texts, You Should Too

Text messages can be precision communication instruments that save us time, increase our communication through-put, and foster team connectivity. But, too many people have made texting a way of life, doing the most and the least at the same time. Text messages are too often the source of nuisance, intrusion, confusion, and distraction, even during our most sacred times and in our most intimate spaces.

At the same time, I am a proponent of digital technologies and productivity tools. I was an early adopter of mind-mapping tools, a power user of the original Basecamp and the now defunct Inbox by Gmail, and I have been an avid follower of Dotto Tech for years. I’m a bonafide productivity geek.

That said, society is making text messaging counter productive.

I am taking my power back and giving voice for the digital downtrodden who need this missive. Here are four things you can do to fight back against text culture.

Put The Phone Down

Early in my career I read a book called “How To Become CEO”. It was jammed packed with tips, one of which I found peculiar, but powerful. The author said that people who seek to attain CEO status should not smoke or be seen to smoke. It was partially about key leaders maintaining good health, but it was about something more powerful — key leaders who are actively addicted to anything may be perceived as weak.

Addictions. Devices. Weaknesses.

Taking breaks from our phones, specifically text messages, is critically important to protect sacred spaces and sacred times that we should be re-committing to ourselves and to our families. Personally, when I hike and or bowl — two of my favorite hobbies — I honor the time with the focus of a deathbed conversation with a friend. No way I miss the moment.

“Did you get my text? I sent it 30 minutes ago.” — Anyone you know

Most of what we think is urgent really isn’t. Most texts are simply not important or urgent and if they are then — trust me — people will find you! Don’t get dragged along by a herd of text. Control the pace. Put the damn phone down for a spell.

Remove All Audible, Visual, and Vibration Notifications

This sounds like a really dramatic measure, but it isn’t. Answer this question: how many times are you interacting with your phone within any given hour? Really pause and think about it. You don’t need a survey to tell you that you are in your phone all of the time.

I rarely have a new text message in my phone (my notifications are off) for more than 15 minutes before I discover it because I’m in my phone that much — and people text me about that often. What kind of Pavlovian person wants to be buzzed every few minutes for something they already know is there?

There are times when you absolutely need to get information in real-time. So, set your special access permissions to the people that need it most, like your children, parents, or even work teams if you are in the heat of a project or event during a specific period of time. Make technology work for you.

Productive people cannot afford to be lazy regarding the impact that distractions, fragmented thoughts, misinterpreted meanings, and unfettered access can have on a family and organizational culture.

Unsubscribe and Filter E-Mail

People often swarm other people with texts to avoid using e-mail. There are a few reasons they want to avoid e-mail, but the real reason almost never gets discussed — they jump to texts because they are overwhelmed by their e-mail inboxes. They have allowed any and everyone to junk up their primary inboxes and then blame e-mail for being clunky.

Free up your inbox by unsubscribing from EVERYTHING. Someone gets your e-mail address from your website, social page, or work and adds you to a newsletter. Don’t delete that newsletter before you take three actions: 1) unsubscribe from the newsletter, 2) if you value the publisher, then follow them on social media. Anyone producing a quality newsletter will also be producing social content, 3) if you prefer to keep the newsletter, then create an e-mail filter on the fly and make sure to skip your inbox and make it go straight to a sub-folder.

Being aggressive about liberating your primary inbox. Conquering all of your inboxes - including DMs - is another post altogether!

Change Platforms

Our text experiences are defined by the platform(s) we use. The two most dominant platforms are native text apps on Android and Apple phones. However, Android and Apple aren’t the only texting platforms.

There are awesome alternatives, like GroupMe, an app that allows for multiple “text” threads with many more controls such as group calendaring, polling, even collecting funds for your group’s planned activities. It’s totally free with greater engagement for mobile or desktop access, notifications, and the interface is much more fun. GroupMe is available on nearly every platform, as are others group messaging apps.

Unfortunately, we all have family or friends who refuse to get on an app like GroupMe, forcing everyone into an endless stream of text messages. Be the thorn in the side of the group until they relent or, be like me, and just mute the group altogether.

You can always see muted text threads or GroupMe chats, but you aren’t triggered all of the time. My next point might be the most significant for you.

A Final Thought

Consuming and responding to texts makes you just that — a consumer and a responder. A leader can’t afford to be on her heels, in response mode so often. He must be on his toes, leaning forward — a producer and an initiator.

Don’t succumb to text culture, take your power back!

Post Script

You might be wondering what my preferred mode of communication is. Of course, I text too. But, unless it’s a truly urgent inquiry or something immediately actionable like “omw", then email is best.

Ed Fields is a marketer and strategist. He currently serves as Senior Advisor and Chief Strategist for the City of Birmingham Mayor’s Office. Follow him on LinkedIn, Medium, or Twitter.